A compensation agreement for the families of young victims of the Meron disaster will be brought before the court for approval, it was reported on Tuesday. This was an agreement reached after the Lod District Court, headed by Judge Irit Cohen, accepted the positions of attorney Eran Becker, who represents a number of the victims’ families in the disaster, who proposed a framework for compensating the families. According to the agreement, which will be submitted for court approval, families of young and minor victims—up to the age of 24—are expected to receive significant financial compensation. One of the families is expected to receive a sum of approximately NIS 2.9 million. Similar amounts have been offered in additional cases—in accordance with the age of the deceased. According to the agreement, the compensation will be paid by the State of Israel, the National Center for the Development of Holy Sites, and insurance companies. Attorneys Eran Becker and Moran Cohen Yonatan, who represent some of the victims’ families, said, “This is compensation that reflects not only the terrible loss caused to the families but also reflects the responsibility that must be placed on the state and the other bodies that were sued for the serious failures that were behind the disaster. “The writing was on the wall, and decades of deliberately turning a blind eye led to a foreseeable disaster. “The agreement that will be transferred for court approval is an important step—moral, legal, and public—that clarifies that human life is not cheap; that there is meaning to the suffering that the victims endured until their death; and that full responsibility must be taken for the serious failures that led to the disaster. “We are proud of the families who chose not to remain silent, who did not give up, and who stood bravely for the fact that justice must not only be done but also be seen. No amount will bring back the loved ones who were lost, but this is a significant milestone in the journey towards recognition, justice, and healing.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)